Rainsquall
by Shirai Hisaishi
Summary: She is fond of running away. But that made her free. Poor summary, just read? One-shot.


Rainsquall.

Weddings are common. Unexpected cloudbursts are normal. Weddings with cloudbursts are ordinary. So here they are, people dressed in gowns and suits with flowers tucked in their chest pockets. They aren't happy. The wedding guests are scowling as the rain shushed possible talking. It's so loud because it reiterates inside the church, but nonetheless helpful.

The big doors of the church were opened wide and everyone could see the limousine parked down the flight of stairs. Though the sight of the car was blurry, everyone kept an eye for the bride to come out, even the rain seemed ceaseless.

"You seem so cool on your day, Dell." The best man stood beside the groom, this guy with disheveled blue hair smiled cockily to his best friend. "So sure that she won't ditch you, huh?"

"I'm a perfect gentleman to her, Kaito. You know that. She won't run away." The groom, so-named Dell, stared at the door of church, patiently waiting for the rain to stop. "She is surely taking her time in the car. Shall I go for her?"

"No, Dell. She will leave you if you will." Kaito chortled. "Are you really head over heels for the lady? I want to be honest - after half a year of you two together - she seems cold."

"What do you expect from arranged marriages, Kaito? She will learn how to tame me, so I to her." Dell snapped a look to his best man. "But she is undeniably honest. She told me how she loathed the idea of being forced in a wedding. We didn't have enough time knowing each other."

The shuffling noise made the two look back on the limousine outside - the reason why the crowd suddenly countered the loudness of the rainfall. A lady in white ran out of the car and dashed to the doors of the church - earning more gasps from the guests. The bride was soaked, her veil was stuck at her face and back. The beautiful wedding gown sewn by a known designer was now drenched, however, the bride still looked gorgeous to people's eyes. Without waiting for another second, her veil was lifted by her gloved hand and her pale complexion had been exposed to everyone. Teal strands of her hair hung loosely around her face while some were kept by the tight bun.

"I'm sorry, Mom! Dad! Dell! I can't do this!" She waited not for their reaction as she turned her back to them and once again, ran through the rain. This time, not coming back to the car. She stopped to remove her heels and carry it before fleeing to the most embarrassing scene she had created in her entire life. The choice was hers, the shame was hers, but it was all for her betterment - to live without regrets, to stand for herself and to prove them that she has a head of her own.

"Things don't go handy at times, eh?" Kaito smirked at his best friend, who was acting unaffected. "Why did you tell her your love for Haku? She was your ex."

"Because Miku was honest to me. I want to be the same." Dell replied.

"Oh, Miku's given you a chance to get back with Haku."

The groom has been stood up on his wedding way. But he wasn't mad. The guests were shocked with what they witnessed, grooms were supposed to leave the weddings, right? Miku's parents called their older son to look for her, but they didn't know that Mikuo was with Miku's side.

Miku ran along the highway. She didn't care whether she looked so stupid with whatever she was doing. A bride running in the rain? She was making a dramatic scene on the road. Panting because her gown became so heavy, she crossed the intersection and hailed a taxi - ignoring the weird stares she was receiving from the group of people on sheltered sheds. _Why won't you stop?_ Two cabs passed by her but none was taking her request for them to stop. Maybe because they wouldn't risk their back seats getting soaked. Once again, she turned around and studied which way she should go - a place her parents wouldn't know.

She was freezing in cold as she stopped on a shed. The place she reached for alternately running and walking gave her a wonderful price. An overview look on the city where she belonged. The earth was enveloped by the downpour, sad and calm. Miku didn't hesitate to sit down on the grass as she stared on the blurry landscaped before her. It's like a painting washed away.

The iciness of the rainfall made her squeal when a new deluge poured. The few rain water that managed to come in contact with her bare shoulders made her shiver. She snuggled on her own, and moved to the center of the seatless shed. This was an endless road and she didn't know where to go. At least, she doesn't plan to go home so soon, she knows it well that her parents are mad. Her eyes settled on the drowning city as her eyes became heavy - perhaps exhausted from running away with her almost-bitter fate.

"I thought brides are in churches." A cool familiar voice said. Miku didn't look around to see who it was. "You love running away, don't you?"

"I have my own choice. I have my voice. If I won't speak, I'll regret it forever - I don't want that." Miku protested, hugging herself tightly this time. Her nails almost dug on her skin, good thing it was trimmed. "I don't want to marry someone I don't know, I don't love."

A _quite_ soaked coat dropped around her shoulders. The color of the suit matched the wedding's theme - she didn't even know that _he_ was inside the church. Heat spread on her cheeks remembering how she stood on the door and declared her say with the wedding. He settled beside her, legs crossed as he watched the rainfall with her. Even their silence was too much - too much to take so the rain do the talking instead - it was comfortable.

"I am shameful. I'm so sorry. You should have not followed me." Miku broke the silence.

"I know. You don't have the face to show there now, do you?"

"I'd never have." Her answer was dull. "I want to do something for myself at least once. Dating Dell was to comply with their demands - I've been complying to them all my life. But why? Even choosing the one I want to live for the rest of my life, why do they have to interfere?"

"Why didn't you tell them beforehand?"

"I did. Believe me, I did. I was unheard. They listen to what they wanted to hear." She turned her head to look at him - he was as drenched as her, but not as sodden as she was. "You ran through the rain?"

He nodded. Cold rain water dripped down to his blond fringe, to his nose, to his wet face. He kept on nibbling his lower lip, it was a habit he never outgrown. "I ran after you." His blue eyes met hers, at an instant, they felt connected. She blinked and looked away. _Still unseen._ "I can't let my best friend look so stupid along the road." Though his words were harsh, he couldn't be as comforting and soft with her situation. Being soft and comforting was never him.

"Really? How did you find me?"

"I'm sure people will recognize a bride running on the road. That's so noticeable, Miku." He chortled but laughter didn't reach his eyes. "You're always noticeable, Miku. You do always standout."

"Except to someone." She laughed and looked at him.

"Yeah," he laughed too. "Except to mysterious guy number one, aka Miku's first love. Don't tell me that you ran away because you wanted to confess to this mysterious guy, huh?"

"I'm planning." She smiled. "I don't know if I'm ready to rejection, Len. You knew me, I never ask when I'm afraid to hear the answer."

He didn't respond. Miku stared once again at the scene before them, the rain is slowly ceasing. Her hair that had fallen from the tight bun hung loosely around her as she tugged the suit around her for more warmth. She doesn't want to regret, right.

"How are you, Len? I'm glad you came all the way here from Canada. Turns out to be disappointment, though. I'm sorry." She sighed and buried her face against her knees. Her parents sent an invitation to him - being a childhood best friend and a business partner.

"Yes, you're really a pain in the butt. Well, things are doing good. I'm planning to marry soon."

She fell silent. That's rich coming from a seemingly bigot like Len? Marriage, she wondered whether that word was really in her friend's vocabulary. Miku broke her silence with a smile, then faced him. "Invite me and don't run away, OK?"

"No plans yet. Haven't proposed. Haven't made a girl friend yet." Len clicked his tongue and stared at her through those soaked fringe. "I was kidding."

"I thought you were serious." Miku rolled her eyes and stared back at the city. The space between them wasn't so wide, she could reach for him if she needed a shoulder to lean on. "But running was really tiring."

"You can lean on my back, you deserve rest. I won't carry you out of here, you know." Len said and turned his back to her. Miku smiled and inched to him, back against back. She looked up and rested her head on his shoulder.

"About the mysterious guy," she began, "he was nonexistent."

"I know." Len said and looked at her. Her eyes were closed as a smile nestled on her pale lips. "I know."

"Len,"

"Hn,"

"Take me out of here. Please."

The tears drowned with the rain was gone. Now, she was running with someone else. Her childhood best friend led the way. The rain was hard on them and more people were staring at them. A bride and a groom walking on the highway, laughing like children.

 _"I won't run."_ She said and held on his arm. _"Just take me out of here, Len."_

His smile - although it was sad and yet she failed to see that - granted an answer. _"Yes, anything for my best friend."_


End file.
